Chapter 77

I reported to my master that the serum had worked and the patient had woken up safely. Then, I asked my master to help me consider the costs of materials and treatment, as well as the amount to charge them, and I asked him to tell me the specific costs involved in the treatment.

The price of materials, the price of the finished medicine, the price at which my master trades, and the matter of slaves. My master provides medicine to adventurers at a much lower price. This is possible because the cycle of collecting materials for my master is already complete, making materials abundant, and because of his skill in compounding and the trust he has earned from adventurers.

This time, the materials I received from my master to make the serum and the paralysis cure were exchanged for materials I had collected myself, but I need to start stockpiling materials myself to avoid any issues in the future.

"I need to consider the market prices and the guild's buyback of collected items... If I can't immediately make the medicine, as in this case, the person might not be saved..."

"Yes... I can lend you some materials, but you can't rely on me forever. However, this was your first patient. Be proud that you treated them successfully. You did a great job."

"Master..."

I felt a warmth at my master's words. While everything didn't go perfectly, thanks to my master and the landlord, the treatment went quite smoothly. My master deliberately let me gain experience and supported me... and then praised me. It made me very happy.

"Unlike the medicine you deliver, having the patient right in front of you must have shown you something different, right? How did it feel?"

"...I lack knowledge in many areas. And there were parts I had been avoiding, thinking I didn't need to know. Delivering to the guild was easy and profitable, and everything was going smoothly... but there are people who come seeking help, and even with all the preparations, you can't be sure if they will be saved... It's heavy... a little bit."

"Yes... But it's also a joy to see someone saved. There's a whole world connected to that. I like adventurers who, despite living in a dangerous world, can have fun and stay true to themselves."

"Yes... There are many good people. There are some unpleasant ones too... but thanks to my connections with my master and Leonis, I've been treated well. Even on first meetings, people tell me to ask if I need materials. So, I'll start with what I can do."

To make up for the lack of knowledge, I need to study. I need to consider how to handle the people I've saved. There might be lives I can't save in the future. And I need to be prepared to live in this world as one of its people.

"Yes... I also felt a lack of knowledge at my age. I've almost cut off ties with other alchemists and have been preparing medicines on my own through trial and error. It's surprising that a beginner can teach me about the possibilities of alchemy. I was so focused on my own world, but it's so useful. The combination of 'compounding' and 'alchemy' opens up a new world. There's still more I can do."

"...I want to participate next time."

"Yes. We hold a meeting once a week with Astrid to share opinions. It would be good for you to join and learn. There will be times when you need both skills."

"Yes! Thank you very much."

After reporting to my master, I returned home and set my own guidelines for future treatment costs.

To begin with, will I even get requests for compounding? Adventurers would probably ask my master, and except for cases like this where someone is seeking help, it seems unlikely to get requests... but I need to think about it.

I don't want to lower my prices and take on too many requests. I don't want to increase the number of slaves, so I want to set a price that people can afford.

First, the overall cost of the medicine.

The price of medicine delivered to the Adventurer's Guild and the price of individually made medicine are different. The delivery price to the guild is fine as it is. My delivery price is the same as the original Alchemist's Guild price. For other medicines, like common cold medicine, I'll sell them at the same price as the guild or other stores. If I have inventory, I can make them when requested, so I don't have to be in the shop all the time.

Now, what about the price of the most delivered healing ointment?

The healing ointment sells for 50G at the guild, and the buyback price when I deliver it is 25G.

The production cost is usually 6-10G + miscellaneous expenses. The cost of firewood for the work and the cost of the container are also necessary.

In my case, the containers are not a problem for now.

This is because I got a lot of medicine containers from the Adventurer's Guild and my master.

Used containers can be reused, but I don't do it much. Ordinary people don't usually have much medicine, and adventurers return used containers to the guild unless their luggage becomes too heavy to carry.

Actually, cleaning the containers is quite a hassle.

If you can make hot water with magic like me, it's not so bad, but it costs firewood, so it's better to wash with water. Nobles have magic tools to make hot water, but they are expensive. Moreover, there are detergents, but some materials can be dangerous when combined with detergents, so they can't be used.

When something happens when putting in new medicine, it's a problem, so I wash very carefully... as a result, it takes a lot of time. Therefore, my master thinks it's easier to buy new containers. He is on good terms with a store that makes containers (ceramic), so they are not too expensive.

Some customers return the containers, and when there are many, he sells them or gives them to the Adventurer's Guild.

The Adventurer's Guild stores the containers and, during warm seasons, hires children at low wages to wash them and then delivers them to the Alchemist's Guild.

In my case, I don't have the money to buy containers, but I need them... so I asked if I could have used containers, and they gave them to me. This is possible because the relationship between the Alchemist's Guild and the Adventurer's Guild is currently hostile.

The cleaning can be done in the bathtub, and to be safe, I use the holy magic purification <Purification> before using them, so there is no danger.

As for the potion containers, they are glass and can't be obtained from the Adventurer's Guild... but the landlord had a lot of potion bottles in a corner of the first-floor bookshelf and storage room, so I'm using them after cleaning. Since they were given to family members, the bottles can be returned... hmm. It might be difficult to recover the ones given to my brothers, but I'll buy them back if necessary.

The landlord has given me permission to use what I need, so there should be no problem for now.

Thinking about it, I'm in a very fortunate environment.

Now, about the actual costs:

For the original healing ointment: Sage leaf cost + firewood cost + container cost < 25G

In reality, the net profit per unit is about 5-6G. It's not a profitable medicine.

For my healing ointment: Centipede grass cost (0G) + firewood cost (0G) + container cost (0G) < 25G, net profit 25G.

By the way, if all materials and containers are provided by the guild, a production skill fee of 10-20% of the delivery amount is paid, so it's not much different.

Actually, I collect branches outside the town and dry them with the composite magic <Dry>, so I don't buy firewood. The full amount becomes profit. I'll leave my labor costs aside.

As the medicine becomes more difficult, the material cost increases, and in addition to the firewood cost, the cost of ice and alcohol also increases. The containers can be left as they are, but for some reason, they prefer to use more attractive containers. My master doesn't need this for adventurers, but he showed me a few high-end ones for nobles.

Now, let's move on to the original medicine made to order. The method to sell it without unnecessarily high costs.

If the medicine becomes expensive, how can the cost be reduced?

In my master's case, it's the material cost. He researches to make the same effect with cheaper materials. Moreover, the adventurers he has saved are very cooperative in collecting materials. They sell the materials my master wants directly to him, so he gets them at a lower price than the market rate.

Actually, when other alchemists try to get these materials... if they are lucky, they can buy them if there is a delivery. If there is no delivery, they have to pay the guild a commission fee, immediate delivery fee, and delivery cost. The material cost is probably 2-5 times higher.

What about me?

I don't have the connections my master has. Well, if my master says he wants to sell to a disciple, he probably will, but I can't rely on my master. I need to solve it myself.

First, I need to collect the materials myself. This is a big step, so I need to train as an adventurer. The problem is that I can't go to collect them if there is an urgent request.

When there is a request to make medicine, the basic rule is to provide the materials.

This is actually quite common. Without materials, you can't make the medicine. It's difficult for alchemists to prepare the materials, so there are many requests where the client provides the materials and asks the alchemist to make the medicine.

If the client provides the materials, there is no problem making the medicine.

The pitfall is... the materials when the compounding fails. According to my master, if the success rate is 50%, it's basic to ask for twice the materials. It's also possible to receive five units and deliver all the successful ones.

In the case of a request with a low success rate, it's also a method to refuse the compounding request. If you can introduce another alchemist...

In such cases, the Alchemist's Guild seems necessary, but I'm not a member, so it's impossible. Moreover, the current relationship is hostile.

There's not much I can do about this. I can only inform the client in advance. If they don't like it, they can go to the Alchemist's Guild. My request to my master... well, since I can't directly request my master, I can't introduce anyone, and I can only think that something happened.

About the price of the medicine.

Basically, when the finished medicine is appraised, the approximate market price is known. However, you can make a good profit even if you don't sell it at that price.

Actually, this market price is set by the capital's Alchemist's Guild. It includes transportation costs and land costs, so it's the highest price setting.

Therefore, it's fine to sell it cheaper in the regions.

Especially, if the medicine is difficult but the materials are cheap, or if it's made from materials only available in that region, the price difference is large.

<Compound Medicine> is an advanced medicine, so there are few people who can make it, and the market price is high. However, the materials can be provided at a relatively low price in this town. They can be obtained in large quantities in the mushroom dungeon. Well, the alchemists' guild here is overcharging.

For the price of the medicine made to order, I'll consider several factors to set the price. I think setting the price at about 80% of the market price is fine.

Material cost. If the client provides the materials, I'll use them. If they don't provide the materials, I'll generally request the cost of the material collection quest from the Adventurer's Guild (commission fee + reward to the guild). Also, if the client delivers the used materials after the medicine is delivered, the cost can be deducted from the debt...

Production skill fee. This is the hourly wage equivalent of the time spent on production and the additional skill fee based on the production difficulty. For basic recipes, there is no skill fee. For intermediate and above, I'll add a skill fee. For intermediate, it won't be a large amount, but for super-advanced, it will be a significant amount.

Miscellaneous expenses. The cost of the container and other production costs. This is the actual cost. If there are no costs, I don't have to charge.

For cooling, I can produce ice with magic, so it's a service.

By doing this, I can check the market price, my master's medicine price, and my price. Since the material cost is the biggest part, if the client provides the materials, it can be made quite cheap.

If I provide the materials, it will be expensive... Well, since my hypothetical clients are adventurers, it will be good for them. I asked my master for his opinion, and he said I could charge a little more. If the materials are provided later, I should add about 20% to the cost and set a specific period for the provision.

By the way... about magical treatment.

This is based on the fixed price for each healing magic in the church. Additionally, the success reward is considered based on the actual recovery.

For example...

If two minor healings are used to fully recover, or one moderate healing is used to fully recover, the MP usage is less for the minor healing, so even if treated that way, the cost of the more expensive moderate healing is charged.

In this case.

Originally, it would be a case requiring the holy magic 9, <Revive>, which would be an extremely high cost. However, in reality, it was treated by continuously casting holy magic 5, <Dispel>, and light magic 2, <Refresh> to maintain the condition and then treating with medicine.

Now, how should I charge?

First, I'll set the price of the medicine as I thought.

Crow's medicine is a slightly modified intermediate paralysis cure, making it an upper-intermediate medicine. The materials are my stock + a little powdered Gigantosnake fang.

For Tiga, it's a custom serum, but the recipe is lower-advanced, and the materials are powdered Gigantosnake fang and some materials from my master.

The approximate price of the medicine is... about 20,000G for Crow and 100,000G for Tiga. It's expensive.

The high cost is due to the Gigantosnake materials and the skill fee. The Gigantosnake hunt is expensive, but since only a small part was used, I set the price based on the cost of purchasing it.

By the way, this includes the cost of the alchemical reagents, which I paid to the landlord in advance.

Now, the cost of the magic... the cost of <Revive> is 3,000,000G. Yes, it's a different order of magnitude. And, this is the fixed treatment for this poison, regardless of the severity.

For both Crow and Tiga, the same cost is required... well, they were in a <Pseudo-Death> state by the time they were brought to the church and treatment began, so this is the procedure.

By the way, I didn't tell the priest that I recovered them from the <Pseudo-Death> state with the abuse of <Dispel>. I thought they were treated and brought before they reached the <Pseudo-Death> state.

Also, there is a reason to keep the poison ambiguous this time.

In that case, it might be more natural to charge the cost of <Clear> or <Dispel>, which I can't use. The cost of the holy magic <Dispel> is higher, but it's 500,000G, so it might be reasonable... or maybe not. It's expensive.

Hmm. The treatment effect of the medicine is also there, but without the magic, they wouldn't have survived. Also, Crow's ability clearly recognized the obstruction and flowed magic and spirit into it, improving the circulation... or something like that.

And... at least, Crow accepted becoming a slave... rather, he thinks that being bound in this way means he doesn't want to serve anyone else, so I think a high bill is fine... but what about Tiga?

For now, I'll give them an estimate. It's also possible to charge only for the magical treatment, as some people give the medicine for free after the magical treatment... but as someone aiming to be an alchemist, I want to earn money from the medicine... for my first patient, receiving only the magic cost...

I'll charge Reus for the potion at the scene. Either way, he has to become a debt slave once to remove the <Illegal Immigrant> status.

Wait? How do you actually make a debt slave contract?

I realized I forgot to ask about the specific method! I need to look into that too.

Ugh. It's a bit embarrassing to go back to my master's house and ask... what should I do?